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Giant arum flowers at Hortus botanicus Leiden!

THE NETHERLANDS

22 June 2009

Around 21st June at the Hortus botanicus Leiden, Leiden University in The Netherlands the giant arum - Amorphophallus titanum - began flowering. This is the second year in a row the giant arum has flowered here. Last year nearly 7,000 visitors came to see its short-lived bloom.

Amorphophallus titanum is the world's largest - and smelliest - flower but only lasts for about 3 days. The giant arum at Leiden will hopefully be pollinated with pollen from Bonn Botanic Garden, so will hopefully set seed. The species is listed as Vulnerable on the 1997 IUCN Red List. It is held in 27 botanic gardens.